Door night chain with alarm

ABSTRACT

A GUIDE ASSEMBLY TO BE SUPPORTED FROM A DOOR AND HAVING A SLIDE MEMBER SUPPORTED THEREFROM FOR LIMIT RECTILINEAR RECIPROCATION AND ENGAGEABLE WITH A STOP FOR DEFINING ONE LIMIT POSITION OF MOVEMENT, THE STOP AND THE SLIDE BEING INTERPOSED IN AN ELECTRICAL SIGNALLING DEVICE CIRCUIT FOR CLOSING THE CIRCUIT WHEN IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER AND THE SLIDE COMPRISING AN ANCHORED END OF A DOOR NIGHT CHAIN.

Feb. 2, 1971 R. D. WILSON DOOR NIGHT CHAIN WITH ALARM Filed March 8,1968 Fig.3

Robert D. Wilson United States Patent 01 fice' 3,560,952 DOOR NIGHTCHAIN WITH ALARM Robert D. Wilson, 1040 N. Juniper, Coquille, Oreg.97423 Filed Mar. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 711,650 Int. Cl. G08b 13/08 U.S. Cl.340274 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The alarm of the instantinvention not only serves as a night chain for a door but also as ameans for causing operation of an alarm signal should the associateddoor be opened to a position approaching the limit position defined bythe associated night chain. The alarm is constructed in a manner suchthat it will comprise, in addition to an alarm actuating device, asuitable and durable anchor for one end of the associated night chain.

One end of the chain portion of the alarm is adapted to be secured tothe door chain or a wall structure adjacent the door jamb and the alarmportion of the invention is adapted to be secured to the associateddoor. The alarm includes a guide portion which is stationarily securedto the door and a slide follower supported from the guide and shiftablebetween limit positions relative thereto. The adjacent end of the chainis anchored to the slide and means is provided for engagement by theslide to limit its movement in one direction. The slide and the meansfor limiting its movement in one direction include conductive portionsthereof disposed in the electrical alarm circuit and which are operableto close the alarm circuit upon contact with each other.

The main object of this invention is to provide a night chain assemblyincluding an alarm system incorporated therein which will be operativeto render and audible signal in response to the associated door beingopened to a point approaching the maximum open position allowed by thenight chain.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an alarm assemblyin accordance with the preceding objects and which may be readilyinstalled.

Another object of this invention is to provide an alarm assemblyincluding an electrically actuated alarm system and a self-containedsource of electrical potential therefor.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an alarm assembly formounting on the associated door and which will render an audible alarmand thereby enable the associated door to sound the alarm giventherefrom.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide an alarm in accordance with the preceding objects which willconform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple constructionand easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economicallyfeasible, long lasting and relatively troublefree in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

3,560,952 Patented Feb. 2, 1971 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thealarm operatively associated with the door and its jamb frame;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the alarm with the cover portion thereofillustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon a plane indicated by section line 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a conventionally hung horizontally swingable door and thereference numeral 12 designates a door jamb portion with which the freeswinging edge portion 14 of the door 10 is operatively associated. Thealarm is referred to in general by the reference numeral 16 and includesa chain 18 having one end anchored to an anchor loop 20 supported from amounting plate 22 secured to the door jamb portion 12 in any convenientmanner. The end of the chain '18 remote from the mounting plate 22 has arigid S-loop 24 thereon for removable securement to an anchor loop 26supported from the horizontal flange portion 28 of an L-shaped slidegenerally referred to by the reference numeral 30 also including awertical flange portion 32.

The alarm 16 includes a strong base plate 34 of any suitable dielectricmaterial such as plastic secured to the door 10 in any convenient mannersuch as by fasteners 36. The lower edge portion of the base 34 includesa horizontal slot 38 whose inner end opens into the lower end of arecess 40 formed in the face of the base plate 34 opposing the door 10and the horizontal flange portion 42 of an L-shaped anchor bracket 43constructed of stainless steel or any other strong material projectsthrough the slot 38 and has its vertical flange portion =44 in therecess 40, the lower fasteners 36 extending through both the base plate34 and the vertical flange portion 44 and with the face of the verticalflange portion 44 remote from the horizontal flange portion 42 flushwith the face of the base plate 34 abutting the door 10.

A generally C-shaped guide 46 is provided and secured to the base plate34 in any convenient manner such as by a rivet 48. The C-shaped guide 46is secured to the base plate 34 above the horizontal flange portion 42and the 'vertical flange portion 32 of the L-shaped slide 30 isslidingly engaged with the guide 46.

The guide 46 may be constructed of any suitable dielectric materialwhich can be injection molded and which has a low coeflicient offriction. The horizontal flange portion 42 includes a slot 50' throughwhich the anchor loop 26 extends and the S-loop 24 is removably engagedwith the anchor loop 26 as hereinbefore set forth. The slide 30 is alsoto be constructed of a strong material such as stainless steel and itmay be seen that the horizontal flange portion '28 of the slide 30 isheld captive between the horizontal flange portion 42 of the bracket 43and the adjacent end of the guide 46. The vertical flange portion 32 isaccurately dimensioned so as to be frictionally retained in positionwithin the guide 46 when the S-loop 24 of chain 18 is engaged with theanchor loop 26.

A pair of battery clips 54 and 56 are supported from the base plate 34in any convenient manner such as by rivets (not shown) and aconventional battery 58 is supported between the clips 54 and 56, andthe clip 54 is electrically connected to the horizontal flange portion42 of the bracket 43 by means of a conductor 60 while the clip 56 iselectrically connected to an electrically actuatable and audible signalalarm referred to in general by the reference numeral 62 by means of aconductor 64. The alarm 62 is also suitably mounted on the base plate 34in any convenient manner such as by rivets (not shown) and thehorizontal flange portion 28 of the slide 30 is electrically connectedto the alarm 62 by means of a conductor 66. Thus, when the horizontalflange portions 28 and 42 contact each other, the electrical circuitbetween the battery 58 and the alarm 62 is completed and the latter iselectrically actuated.

In operation, after the door has been closed, the S-hook 24 may beremovably engaged from the anchor loop (its storage portion) and engagedwith the anchor loop 26 after the anchor loop 26 has been manually urgedupwardly to insure that the horizontal flange portion 28 is spaced abovethe horizontal flange portion 42. Then, should any unauthorized personattempt to open the door 10, the chain 18 will be tensioned in a mannersuch that the slide 30 will be pulled downwardly into contact with thehorizontal flange portion 42 completing the circuit to the signal 62thereby electrically actuating the latter. Of course, the base plate 34may be mounted on the door 10 in a horizontal position and substantiallyhorizontally aligned with the mounting plate 22 and the use of the alarm16 is not necessarily limited to use in conjunction with the door of adwelling, but may also be utilized in other environments.

In order to completely enclose the components of the invention supportedfrom the base plate 34, a closure cover referred to in general by thereference numeral 70 is provided and is removably secured over the faceof the base plate 34 remote from the door 10 by means of a threadedfastener 72 removably and threadedly engaged with the threaded end of afastener 74 supported from the base plate 34 and having its freethreaded end portion projecting through an opening 76 in the coverassembly 70.

Although the alarm is primarily concerned with rendering a signal uponan unauthorized person attempting to open an associated door, window orother closure, it can also have incorporated therein any suitable meansoperative to actuate the alarm in response to an abnormal increase intemperature of the immediate surroundings, such as in the case of fire.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with first and second relatively movable memberssupported for movement toward and away from each other, a movementlimiting and signalling device comprising an elongated tension member,one end of said tension member being secured to one of said members, amounting base secured to the other of said members, said base includingguide means, an anchor member supported from said guide means forlimited shifting relative thereto, said base including stop meanslimiting movement of said anchor member relative to said guide means inone direction, an electrical alarm assembly supported from said baseincluding an electrically actuatable alarm, a source of electricalpotential and electrical circuit means electrically connecting saidalarm with said source, said stop means'and said anchor member includingelectrical contact defining portions serially disposed in said circuitmeans and engageable with each other upon movement of said anchor memberto a limit position of movement in said one direction, said guide meanscomprising a generally C-shaped channel member, said anchor memberincluding a portion thereof slidingly and guidingly supported from saidchannel member for adustable positioning therealong, said anchor memberportion and said channel member including surface portions thereofdisposed in frictional engagement with each other allowing shifting ofsaid anchoit member portion along said channel member but frictionallyretaining said anchor member portion in position along said channelmember, said stop means including a flange portion disposed generallynormal to and which intersects with the path of movement of said anchormember along said channel member, said anchor member including an anchorelement projecting toward said flange portion and receivable throughsaid opening upon movement of said anchor member toward said limitposition of movement in said one direction, the other end of saidtension member being secured to the portion of said anchor elementprojecting through said opening.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a housing supported from saidface in which said stop means, electrical alarm assembly, said guidemeans, said anchor member, a source of electrical potential andelectrical circuit means are disposed, one wall of said housinggenerally paralleling and being spaced slightly from the side of saidflange portion facing in said one direction, said one wall of saidhousing having a second opening formed therein registerable with theopening formed in said flange portion and through which said anchorelement also projects when said anchor member is in said limit positionof movement in said one direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,175,207 3/1965 Hewitt, Ir340-274 3,273,552 9/1966 Plath 200-161 3,406,386 10/1968 Hawkins 3402742,274,870 3/1942 Richards 200-161 THOMAS B. HABECK-ER, Primary ExaminerJ. M. BOBBITT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 200 61.62, 61.93, 153,161; 340276'

